REVIEW: Peter Pan at the Liverpool Empire

Pantomime is a great British Christmas tradition which brings whole families together but a recent development has helped make it even more accessible for everyone with "relaxed performances" aimed at people with learning or sensory disabilities. These performances reduce sound, lighting and pyrotechnics to lessen sensory overload , edit most frightening scenes and have house lights on to allow people to leave auditorium if they need to. The Empire version of Peter Pan had its relaxed performance on Friday 20th December at 2pm and it was clear from the start that the cast enjoyed it as much as the audience. They all came on to introduce themselves to the audience out of character before the start and to explain that Hook was really a very nice man! 

In any case the emphasis of the production is on a lively fun and daft version of the famous story with much of the traditional story jettisoned. There is no Mr and Mrs Darling in the nursery, no "kiss" given to Wendy, no shooting of the "Wendy bird" as she arrives in Neverland and no marooners rock scene. In addition Tiger Lily becomes Tiger Billy (Asa Elliott) and a new character is introduced with Cut-Lasses Kenneth (Tony Maudsley), the hairdresser addition to the pirate crew direct from Benidorm Live.

REVIEW: Sleeping Beuaty at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

Some of the best pantomimes are created where the creative team return and seek to build and improve on prior years rather than simply replicate their previous successes in a formulaic way and Guildford’s returning team have once again achieved that.

Jamie Smith (6th Yvonne Arnaud Pantomime) has given this version of Sleeping Beauty a very modern Eco warrior feel with the Prince a video blogger campaigning for less plastic and a greener world and his Princess Aurora a physicist inventing a time travel machine, a modern medieval maiden. It gives the show a fresh feel, although it never really reconciles its setting in thirteenth century with the smart phone live streaming! 

Choreographer Katie Beard (two previous Yvonne Arnaud pantomimes) gets the show of to a great start with "Flash Bang Wallop" with new words to introduce all the characters in the story, the ensemble and juvenile team. Throughout the show there are lively well drilled routines including an excellent fun Dance off and an evil "Poison” under the musical supervision of Anthony England (4th year) and MD Bryan Hodgson (three previous pantomimes).

REVIEW: Aladdin at the South Hill Park Arts Centre

One of the real joys of seeing a wide range of Pantomimes is visiting the smaller venues where the creative teams work real magic with small budgets to delight their local community. One such venue is the Wilde Theatre in South Hill Park near Bracknell. Not resting on their laurels after last year's GB Pantomime Award nominations for best script and set designs, so clearly trumpeted on their handbills and poster, they set out to go even bigger and better this year with Aladdin. Victoria Spearing, last year's winner of Best stage design, has this year gone used her inventive imagination to create a huge set that magical transforms with a minimum of effort from Old Peking with false perspective, to the desert and pyramids of Egypt with an amusing simple flying sequence in between. She makes a virtue of having no flying capacity by using five multi sided trucks all artistically painted with delightful touches to amuse and intrigue. It is a truly magical setting and the Egyptian interior is exquisite. 

Within these settings the strong cast work hard with a well drilled and disciplined young ensemble to bring Joyce Branagh's traditional script to life, although on the adult only nights there are few more near the knuckle ad Libs to amuse the well lubricated members of the audience - hopefully out of ear shot of the younger cast members! Brad Clapson returns as the larger than life, over the top, outrageous Widow Twankey and dominates the stage when he is on. It’s a drag queen performance rather than a Dame but it gets plenty of reaction and laughs.

REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty at the Alban Arena

Sleeping Beauty is an established pantomime title with a strong appeal to a young audience but each writer adopts a different approach to the one hundred year time travel that is central to the story so it was very interesting to see two of this year’s productions on the same day. The Watford Palace version was written by the brilliantly creative Andrew Pollard and the Alban Arena version, just 10 miles up the road by the equally reliable Paul Hendy. There could not be a more contrasting approach to the same story with Princess Aurora falling for a Prince before the evil fairy’s spell sends her into a deep sleep despite her nannie and father’s best efforts to prevent it. But there the similarities end!

At the Alban Arena just up the road from the Watford palace it is completely different approach with the cast of 7 including three comics, six ensemble dancers, three kids’ teams and four musicians and they pack a great deal of business into the two- and half-hour show. Directed by the St Albans regular and favourite Bob Golding in his ninth year and back on stage again as the dame, Nurse Nellie it is very much his show. He knows what works with the audience and what is expected of an Alban Arena pantomime: lots of spurious comedy routines all set in the appropriately named Hamalot.

REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty at the Watford Palace

Sleeping Beauty is an established pantomime title with a strong appeal to a young audience but each writer adopts a different approach to the one hundred year time travel that is central to the story so it was very interesting to see two of this year’s productions on the same day. The Watford Palace version was written by the brilliantly creative Andrew Pollard and the Alban Arena version, just 10 miles up the road by the equally reliable Paul Hendy. There could not be a more contrasting approach to the same story with Princess Aurora falling for a Prince before the evil fairy’s spell sends her into a deep sleep despite her nannie and father’s best efforts to prevent it. But there the similarities end!

At Watford the saviour is Fairy Fender, a lively personable performance from Thomas Fabian Parrish in a seventies wig and jump suit who happens to arrange time travel. We are first taken to 1957 to meet Vince Prince, an excuse for some Elvis Presley songs and impressions before going further back in time to 1539 and Aurora’s birth. By the time her eighteenth birthday arrives in 1557 the Princess, charmingly played by Nikita Johal has met both Prince (assuming he is an actual Prince) and Fender but Pestilentia Blight (as Caraboose is called) played by Arabella Rodrigo still delivers the fatal prick from within a giant 18th Birthday cake. Fender then mistakenly sends her forward 400 years with her father (Lenny VIII played by John Macneill) and her nanny (Fanny played by Richard Emerson) so the Prince can awaken her! The comedy is mainly delivered by Fanny (the Dame) and Leonie Spilsbury as Sowesta, a talking pig.

REVIEW: Aladdin at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking

It’s not very often a show can pick you up and transport you back to the happiest days of your childhood; infact it’s less than “not very often”, it’s incredibly rare and quite honestly, I don’t think it has ever happened to me quite like this before. As I left Woking’s New Victoria Theatre, I was beaming and full of nostalgia and joy. Pure childish happiness and Christmas cheer. What more could you want from a Pantomime?

Before this review, I would first like to share a little story. Circa 2001, my parents took me backstage at the New Victoria Theatre and I met Bobby Davro before a performance of Cinderella where Davro was playing ‘Buttons’. Despite only being six or seven years old at the time, I still remember him being exceptionally fast-talking, funny and kind. He filled my pockets with milky ways and smarties before the show as I wouldn’t be able to reach from the Royal Circle when he would later throw them across the stalls during the performance. Almost 20 years later, I was finally able to meet him again after this show and with tears in my eyes, I proclaimed I had been transported right back to that purely happy and innocent time thanks to him. He truly is the soul of this pantomime - a born entertainer and genuinely lovely man. I cannot advocate his performance enough. Bobby, thank you for your kind words and humble ways. I hope we meet again soon. 

REVIEW: Aladdin at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley

A marvelous Christmas present has arrived at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley in the shape of Christopher Biggins. As panto stars, TV presenters and ex boy/girl band members are all very well, but a proper panto deserves a proper panto star, which is what Biggins undoubtedly is.

His is a twinkly presence as Widow Twankey, appearing in a series of costumes and wigs ranging from the extravagant to the bizarre. He is effortlessly at ease with the audience. Indeed his first ‘scene’ is not really part of the show, just an informal chat identifying school groups, brownies and those celebrating birthdays. Throughout the show he totters about the stage and is both hilarious and a little vulnerable.

REVIEW: Goldilocks and Three Bears at the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh

Allan Stewart first appeared in Pantomime at Kings theatre in 1989 and this year is his 22nd consecutive year in the annual Pantomime and his Auntie May character has been established as one of the greats of Scottish Comedy . In this years Christmas production the story has been stripped back to the bear-est of plots, set in Auntie May's circus and creating the perfect location for a traditional variety show which felt like it had delved back into the archives for comedy routines. It works because it is not a one "woman" show but a great team effort with the help of Gillian Parkhouse as Goldilocks, Grant Stott as the evil Baron, Jordan Young as Joey the clown and the triumphant return of Andy Gray as the ringmaster Andy McReekie. These talented five work well together sharing the limelight and the laugh lines and creating plenty of opportunities for faux mistakes and corpsing. 

The design by Ian Westbrook is excellent creating the feel of the circus and the Greatest Show on Earth from the moment you step into the glorious Kings Theatre auditorium with its eighteen boxes festooned in fairy lights and the stage creating the inside of the big top for most scenes.

REVIEW: Jack and the Beanstalk at the Kings Theatre, Glasgow

There is no substitute in Pantomime for experience and teamwork to sustain the energy, audience engagement and surprises for over two hours of family entertainment and I doubt there is a better example in the whole country of such as show as this Kings Theatre Glasgow production of Jack and the Beanstalk. Elaine C Smith is the Queen of Pantomime with twenty years experience and has recently formed a brilliant partnership with Johnny Mac who has fifteen years to his credit and together with a great supporting cast and magical special FXs they deliver a first class show again this year. 

Elaine C Smith is Dame Trot (this year) and her every appearance is wonderful. Dressed in a fantastic array of costumes designed by Ron Briggs and Mike Coleman she charms the audience with her delightful comedy and strong vocals. Her first entrance is fittingly over the top in a giant globe and an IronBru dress singing "I'm still working til I'm 69" (to the Elton John tune) backed by the lively ensemble of eight. She follows up with a charming "Talk to the animals" with the kids and ensemble in good animal costumes. She gets the audience to join in with "Its a beautiful day" and "I would walk 500 miles" and ends with a Cher impression. She knows how to hold an audience and to work with the other cast effectively.

REVIEW: Beauty and the Beast at the Theatre Royal Newcastle

Danny Adams is a Five star Pantomime comic and circus clown and is now well established as the star in the Newcastle Theatre Royal annual Christmas Pantomime having this year reached his fifteenth consecutive production at the venue and is joined as usual by his father Clive Webb (the straight man of the double act) and for the thirteenth year by the Dame, Chris Haywood under the continued direction of the prolific Michael Harrison. The Geordie audience know what to expect and lap up the familiar routines and shout outs but this year they appear to take few risks to the established formula that they know works.

I first saw Danny Adams and his father in the 2004 Pantomime at the Regent Theatre Stoke on Trent and he made a big impression as a natural comic, the archetypal cheeky chappie and silly Billy. He appeared to combine classic circus skills with traditional music hall style delivery and was always centre stage. Fifteen years on the comic skills are well practised and everyone in the cast becomes his stooge or feed as the whole show revolves around him. In some ways this year's title does not lend itself to this approach and too often one finds oneself comparing the rest of the show to Disney's version of the story. There are nods to it in the excellent costumes especially for Dick the candlestick (Steve Arnott) and Tock the clock (Recce Sibbald) as well as in Belle's (Laura Evans) yellow ball gown but the famous music is all missing and the story itself stripped back to become the link between a wide range of set piece routines for Danny Adams as Danny! Indeed his own brother Michael Potts now joins in the family affair as a sort of Ben Warris character, the daft half of a famous musical hall act. 

REVIEW: Cinderella at The Vaults

An immersive and modern take on the classic fairy-tale made famous by Disney and performed up and down the country every December, Cinderella at The Vaults was more of a Christmas party than a theatre show.

Set in a pub, the bar sits along one wall, with audience seated in both cabaret style and theatre style along the three remaining sides. We are welcomed into the pub and shown to our seats by the characters as they inhabit the venue. The actors truly inhibit their characters and indulge in playing with the audience, teasing them and welcoming them into the world.

Mike, played by Jimmy Fairhurst and taking on the usual role of Cinderella’s fairy godmother, is the host of karaoke and warms up the audience with both his dress sense and a wonderful rendition of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. Once the audience have had a chance to get a drink from the bar and been sniffed by Buttons the dog, the show begins as every fairy-tale should: with a rendition Bohemian Rhapsody.

REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty at Greenwich Theatre

Everyone knows the age-old tale of Sleeping Beauty, but Greenwich theatre have stretched the traditional story and centred it around Russia, the moon, and 50 years of Greenwich Theatre… obviously.

It’s 1969 and we are introduced to a “very very Scottish” actor, Ewan (Regan Burke). As he wanders the dark corridors of Greenwich Theatre, he comes across a common item found in London theatres; A Faberge egg. He releases its magical power in the form of Fairy Faberge (Funlola Olufunwa), who waves her sparkly egg-wand and whisks him back in time to 1850s Russia. We meet the Tsar and Tsarina (Martin Johnston and writer/director Andrew Pollard respectively) and the evil Rasputin (Anthony Spargo) who has cast a spell on a mirror to rid Russia of the Tsar and Tsarina and take over the world, as every good panto villain wishes to do.

With a stunning design from Cleo Pettit, both the set and costumes have all the appropriate panto sparkle and shine with great flavours of Russia and some ridiculously tight trousers for Ewan when he accidentally becomes ‘Major Tom’ after a confusion with a costume fitting. The set consists of a huge revolve which is utilised expertly to show the passage of time during the famous 100 years sequence, and also allows the pace of the show to keep up with the short attention span of the younger audience members. 

REVIEW: The Nativity Panto at the King's Head Theatre

This year's Kings Head Christmas offering is the thirteenth Pantomime from the marvellous Charles Court Opera and for once it is a show that fully delivers on the promise of the handbill with a musical that takes" the story that sparked the season to create their most joyous show yet". With a delightfully simple effective set, a fabulous cast of five, some delightful reworking of well known songs and a real appreciation of both Christmas and Pantomime they have magically produced an upbeat fun adult Pantomime that is a joy from start to finish.

Joe Christmas is a toy maker obsessed with making a potion to help Rudolf fly to deliver presents all over a world covered with snow and ice. Mary his wife longs for a child but he is too busy to oblige. When Mary meets the Holy Bush she falls instantly pregnant from a special prick. The three wise men journey to meet them, King Key (full of innuendo), King Size (full of Big Whoppers) and King Pin (full of vodka) with gifts of a white beard, a red hat and a bottomless bag. But Jack Frost wants to stop them and suck all the joy from the world with her assistant Snowflake. None of the parody is subtle but it is delivered in such a lively and entertaining way that even the most miserable grinch will enjoy it.

REVIEW: Aladdin at the New Wimbledon Theatre

As the main pantomime season draws to a close for 2018/19 season, two shows hit the news headlines with leading artistes illnesses causing them to drop out mid run. The wonderful Jimmy Osmond was unable to continue and has been replaced for the rest of the run as Hook by Darren Day in Birmingham in a wave of sympathy and concern. Down in the New Theatre Wimbledon, Lee Ryan reportedly left the show at the interval during one performance and has been replaced by  Chris Durtnal with a programme insert being given out to the subsequent audiences. These changes must be very disruptive to cast and crew requiring additional rehearsals to be fitted in to the already hectic two shows a day, six days a week schedule. 

Durtnal makes a solid substitute in his leading role debut as Aladdin opposite Lauren Chia as Princess Jasmine. They combine well in a comedy song routine sat on a wall with Wishy Washy which is featured in many of the Qdos shows this year but when it comes to the big final fight with Abanazar (Adam Pearce) it is Jasmine who takes centre stage to defeat him in the sword fight while Aladdin lies unconscious. 

REVIEW: Cinderella at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Cinderella – a charming fairytale and “the Fairy Godmother of all pantomimes” for British audiences everywhere. There is certainly a level of artistic licensing here which tweaks this classic tale for a 2018 audience, but the story fundamentally remains the same: After the death of her mother, Cinderella’s father remarries a woman who turns out to be truly wicked. Favouring her two daughters above her new step-daughter, she mistreats Cinderella as a maid and deprives her of the privileges her own daughters enjoy. Thankfully, all hope is not lost as Cinderella meets a handsome Prince, with the help of her Fairy Godmother, and (eventually) they live happily ever after. Hopefully this is not a spoiler to any of our readers! 

As Baroness Demonica Hardup (the wicked step-mother) is poster-boy Craig Revel-Horwood who relishes in milking every Strictly Come Dancing joke for all they’re worth, with even the producers chiming in and naming ‘her’ daughters Tess and Claudia! He also nods to his credit as Choreographer for ‘Sister Act’ with his own “fab-u-lous” version of “Fabulous Baby”. Revel Horwood is not a casting gimmick – he is a superb talent and earns his space on that stage with not only his dance ability but his terrific voice too. After heavily criticising Katie Price for her stint at Woking two years ago due to her dismal lip-syncing and effortless (not in a good way) acting, I was not only relieved but pleased to welcome Revel Horwood to this production. He was a true asset. I am however disappointed that in the souvenir brochure/programme, Sophie Isaacs is not even pictured on the cover despite being the titular role - it seems Mr Revel Horwood needed more space to showcase his insanely sparkly costume! 

Further Casting Announced For New Victoria Theatre’s Strictly Must-See Pantomime, Cinderella

Following last year’s record-breaking pantomime run which saw over 50,000 festive theatregoers pass through its doors, Woking’s New Victoria Theatrehave announced that the legendary Paul Chuckle will be joining the cast and starring alongsideStrictly Come Dancing’sCraig Revel Horwood inthis year’s must-see Fairy Godmother of all pantomimes, Cinderella, from Friday 7 December. 

Paul Chuckle will play Cinderella’s father, Baron Hardup, making his New Victoria Theatre debut. Best known as one half of the legendary Chuckle Brothers, Cinderellamarks Paul’s first pantomime following the sad passing of his brother and co-star Barry earlier this year. The much-loved duo were known to generations of children for their popular prime-time children’s television show Chucklevision, of which more than 290 episodes were made. The series proved to be so successful that in 2008 BAFTA presented Paul and Barry with an award for ‘services to British children’s television’.